Global warming: Susana Martinez has her doubts and Steve Pearce says some climate scientists “don’t even believe the crap”

Republican candidates across the country are taking a skeptical stance regarding global warming and the climate — so to speak — in New Mexico isn’t much different.

Susana Martinez, Republican candidate for governor of NM

Gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez has reservations, which were expressed today in an article from Politico about GOP candidates who have varying degrees of skepticism about climate change initiatives:

New Mexico GOP nominee Susana Martinez told POLITICO in Albuquerque on Saturday that she had her doubts about the role human activity plays in global warming. “I’m not sure the science completely supports that,” she said.

Sidenote: The campaign of Diane Denish — Martinez’ Democratic opponent — jumped on the Martinez quote: “Whether it is draining money from public schools through a voucher plan, using border security money to hand out fat bonuses to her top aides, or denying that global warming is human caused, New Mexicans are learning that Susana Martinez is just a typical Republican politician who doesn’t get it,” said Denish spokesman Chris Cervini in a statement. “There’s only one candidate who is on the side of New Mexico’s families and understands that a vital piece of New Mexico’s economic future is a strong investment in renewable energy and clean-energy jobs — and that’s Diane Denish.”

Meanwhile, Republican US House of Representatives candidate Steve Pearce is blunt. In light of the stolen “Climategate” e-mails that came from the United Kingdom, Pearce says the claims by climate scientists who call for immediate and drastic measures to control greenhouse gas emissions should be looked at with a critical eye:

Steve Pearce, Republican candidate for US House of Reps

“I think we ought to take a look at whatever the group is that measures all this, the IPCC, they don’t even believe the crap,” Pearce said in Artesia, N.M. “They’re the ones who say in the e-mails we’ve got to worry about this, keep these voices quiet. If they don’t believe it, why should the rest of be penalized in our standard of living for something that can’t be validated?”

Pearce’s quote will doubtless send his persistent critics in the environmental movement around the bend.

One group — the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund — has paid for television ads calling Pearce one of the most corrupt members of Congress, referring to Pearce’s tenure in the US House of Representatives from 2003-2009. After we contacted Pearce’s campaign for a response the day the ads started running, Pearce’s people issued a news release calling the charges false and a few days later, KOAT-TV stopped running the commercials. The Defenders of Wildlife responded by saying KOAT-TV had “buckled” and that “it is now all the more important that New Mexico voters learn the truth about Steve Pearce and to prove just how committed we are to exposing his record.”

Related Note: Pearce is running against Harry Teague in the 2nd Congressional District race and Wednesday afternoon Pearce’s campaign issued a news release challenging Teague to 10 town hall style debates in at least eight counties over the last two months of the campaign. No comment yet from the Teague campaign.

Update: Teague’s campaign manager Dominic Gabello released a statement at 4:12 pm MDT saying, “There will be debates. We will work on details and we look forward to comparing records …”

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http://Nmwatchdog carlos

To the Denish spokesperson:

Did you watch the education square off between the two candidates this week? Well the poles say Martinez is winning. You know what else? Denish is losing. You know know something else? You need to realize Denish is not the answer and if you want change VOTE SUSANNA!!!!!!!!!!!

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